Marcel Louis-Jacques
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Minkah Fitzpatrick seems like he stepped right into a time machine.
The Miami Dolphins traded for the three-time All-Professional security this summer season, bringing Fitzpatrick again to the crew that drafted him in 2018 earlier than sending him to the Pittsburgh Steelers one yr later.
Throughout coaching camp, he described the nostalgic feeling of returning to Onerous Rock Stadium and south Florida normally; however the transfer again to Miami is essential to Fitzpatrick past the soccer subject, as nicely.
His household lives in close by Palm Seashore County, having moved from New Jersey shortly after he was drafted. As he adjusts to his return to the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick finds consolation in not solely being reunited along with his tight-knit household, but in addition being current for his brother Justice's last season of highschool soccer.
Whereas Minkah blossomed into one of many NFL's greatest defensive gamers throughout his time in Pittsburgh, the space strained his relationship along with his household who remained in Florida.
“It was powerful. We missed lots of occasions,” he mentioned. “We missed lots of birthdays and stuff, however they got here up a superb quantity even in the course of the season. … It wasn't at all times all people, however they had been simply making an attempt to get anyone up there not less than as soon as a month. We'd at all times try to spend one of many holidays collectively, whether or not that be Thanksgiving or Christmas. After which I am down right here in the course of the offseason, so I bought to see them for half the yr.
“You miss lots of occasions, however it's an unlucky a part of enterprise.”
When the host Dolphins face the New York Jets on “Monday Night time Soccer” (7:15 p.m, ET, ESPN), his household can be in attendance to look at him. And the subsequent time Justice subsequent takes the sector for St. Thomas Aquinas Excessive College in Fort Lauderdale, Minkah will return the favor. It is a luxurious he is been ready years for, and one he is hoping will make his second act in Miami happier than his first, when he requested a commerce one sport into his second season.
“I believe one of the best a part of being a brother is watching your siblings develop,” he mentioned. “Being a giant brother, whether or not it's my sisters or my brother … simply watching him go from slightly 5-foot bucktoothed child to 6-2 1/2, 190 [pounds] operating 10.5 [seconds in the 100-meter dash]. It is superior watching that after which additionally simply with the ability to educate him every part that I do know.”
DOLPHINS GENERAL MANAGER Chris Grier by no means anticipated to get Fitzpatrick on his crew — not in 2018 and undoubtedly not once more in 2025.
Through the 2018 draft, Miami flirted with the thought of buying and selling up for a quarterback, after starter Ryan Tannehill tore his ACL in consecutive seasons. However when the prospect of drafting the 2017 Chuck Bednarik and Jim Thorpe Awards winner turned practical with the eleventh total decide, Grier jumped on it.
“I did not count on Minkah to be there, to be trustworthy with you,” Grier mentioned on the time. “For me, he was most likely — nevertheless you set it — one of many high 5 – 6 gamers on this draft. As we bought calls after the decide, different groups saved calling us telling us, ‘He was in our high 5 gamers within the draft.' For us, the worth at that time was stunning that he was there.”
Taking part in security, Fitzpatrick began 11 video games as a rookie and completed the season with two interceptions. However the Dolphins fired coach Adam Gase after the season, and new coach Brian Flores modified Fitzpatrick to a extra fluid position — one for which Fitzpatrick mentioned he was ill-suited.
In Miami's season-opening 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2018, he logged snaps at edge rusher, each linebacker positions, all three cornerback positions and security. Sad with the fixed change of place, Fitzpatrick was granted permission to hunt a commerce shortly after, and was traded to the Steelers in change for a first-round decide.
In his six seasons in Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick was named a First-Crew All-Professional 3 times and made 5 Professional Bowls. However his time with the Steelers all of a sudden ended this June, when he was traded again to the Dolphins for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight finish Jonnu Smith.
Of the deal, Grier mentioned he wasn't shocked by the Steelers' curiosity in each gamers, particularly contemplating the Miami GM had publicly introduced his willingness to commerce Ramsey months prior. However he was shocked they despatched Fitzpatrick again in return.
“Actually, I used to be shocked,” Grier mentioned in August. “I used to be very shocked we had been capable of get him. … I believe the way in which you take a look at it's they bought two gamers that they appreciated and we bought a participant that we had coveted too as nicely, so it was a win-win.
“Getting Minkah again was a giant piece for us. I've identified Minkah, clearly I drafted him, I do know what sort of particular person he was, what sort of chief and the way he loves ball … it was essential for this crew and these folks and the younger gamers we've to know that that is the usual of what we will be and the way we will run right here.”
Fitzpatrick returned to myriad adjustments from the South Florida he left for Pittsburgh. Grier remained, however the Dolphins had a brand new head coach in Mike McDaniel, and a brand new observe facility they moved into two years after he left.
Even Onerous Rock Stadium had a renovated residence locker room and added an F1 race observe round it.
However there was one other, greater, fixed to his Miami homecoming — his household. Notably Justice, who was 10 years outdated when Minkah was traded in 2019, however who now's the No. 42 ranked participant within the 2026 ESPN 300 and is headed to play cornerback at Georgia.
“Actually, I am actually enthusiastic about with the ability to watch him play,” Minkah mentioned. “For the final nevertheless a few years, I have never been capable of see him play in particular person. I needed to wait until it was on-line or watch him play 7-on-7, so the truth that I get to point out up for him on Friday nights and be capable to see him in particular person is certainly thrilling.”
IN 2011, WHEN Minkah was 14 years outdated, his household's residence in New Jersey was destroyed by Hurricane Irene. With out flood insurance coverage, they rebuilt their residence themselves over the subsequent yr whereas residing in a member of the family's basement.
The expertise constructed character, Minkah mentioned, and instilled in him the worth of studying from each hardship, in life and in soccer.
“I believe we had been trustworthy with little or no. And since we're trustworthy with little, we have been entrusted with lots of accountability,” he mentioned. “Not simply cash, however accountability.”
A part of the accountability he feels is towards offering an instance and position mannequin for Justice, who's 11 years youthful and who was a toddler when Irene hit.
Justice had at all times regarded as much as his large brother and mentioned he might nonetheless admire the work Minkah put in contemplating their circumstance — particularly as Minkah developed right into a five-star recruit within the years after, his degree of dedication caught along with his adolescent brother.
Fitzpatrick signed with Alabama in 2015, the place his three-year profession included two nationwide championships, two All-American alternatives, and two awards in 2017 recognizing him because the nation's greatest defensive participant and its greatest defensive again.
Justice and Minkah prepare along with their father each offseason. The exercises have grown to the purpose the place different NFL gamers take part, however Minkah at all times pairs up along with his brother – – their pure competitors with one another, serving to Justice enhance regardless of not as bodily developed for a lot of their exercises through the years.
“I used to whoop up on him as a lot as I might,” Minkah laughed. “That is simply a part of being an older brother — you bought to let him know life ain't simple. Life ain't honest … Now it is like I am truly competing in opposition to him as a result of he is taller than me. He is quick, he can transfer. Bought nice arms, nice toes. So now it is truly we're pushing one another as a result of now he is extra of a younger man quite than only a boy.
“He is getting a pair licks again.”
Rising up as Minkah Fitzpatrick's brother wasn't simple. Regardless of their exercises collectively, Justice had no intention of enjoying defensive again like Minkah. As a substitute, he entered highschool as a large receiver, partly to keep away from the comparisons to his older brother.
“Once I was in center faculty, one of many explanation why I did not even wish to play defensive again was due to a few of the stress that might include it,” Justice mentioned. “As soon as I bought to highschool, I used to be a straight receiver. Even in my eighth grade yr, I bought my first supply at receiver and so I used to be considering, ‘I am gonna keep on with this. I do not even have to fret about enjoying DB.' And I sort of felt away from my brother's title.”
Justice started enjoying defensive again as a freshman after a tongue-in-cheek supply to his coaches to play each side of the ball. He did not imply it, however the coaches took him up on it and his defensive profession caught. He earned Maxpreps Junior All-American honors final season and fielded greater than 40 scholarship provides earlier than committing to Georgia, the place he'll play for Minkah's former defensive coordinator at Alabama Kirby Sensible.
Minkah is aware of he is performed a hand within the early consideration Justice acquired, however is pleased with his brother for making his personal title.
“I've had success within the NFL, so it travels regardless of the place he goes. However he is achieved an excellent job of carving out his personal path, permitting his play to talk for itself,” he mentioned. “At first lots of people had been saying, ‘Oh, you solely getting this recognition due to your brother.' And he would go on the market and ball out they usually'd be like, ‘Ah, nah, he is good.'
“Clearly he'll be taught from me, however he'll be himself.”
WHEN THE DOLPHINS face the Jets on Monday, your entire Fitzpatrick household will watch from a personal sales space. Justice joked that they are nonetheless getting used to the prime seat location and its facilities — they'd be completely satisfied watching the sport from the stands, he mentioned.
However Minkah is completely satisfied to be near his household — and his youthful brother — once more. Though each have suffered early season adversity — Minkah's Dolphins began the season 0-3 and Justice has missed the primary 5 video games of his season with an damage — seeing his household current is a visceral reminder to Minkah of how particular it's to be residence.
“That is the explanation why I work so exhausting. It isn't for me, however for my folks,” he mentioned. “They're the explanation why I attempt to community and faucet into as many assets as I can. And every part that I do know I am passing on to him, so he can begin 10 steps forward of the place I used to be.”
